Restaurants
Man does not live by cheesesteaks alone. Even if that man happens to be a Philadelphian. At last count (2009), the Greater Philadelphia area has 680 restaurants. More than half of them fit the category of “fine dining.” You’ll find dress-up-and-paint-the-town grand ones with elaborate and even avant-garde menus and find-me-if-you-can holes-in-the-wall that the locals love (and prefer to keep their own little secret).
Philly certainly has more than its fair share of nationally celebrated chefs. But just as exciting is finding the innovative up-and-comers who are currently cooking their way to stardom. And if you need any proof of the city’s diversity, check out the plethora of multicultural menus that thrive in every neighborhood.
All restaurants listed have nonsmoking policies, so you needn’t be bothered by cigarette and cigar smoke, and unless we’ve indicated otherwise, all restaurants honor major credit cards. If wheelchair accessibility is a requirement, keep in mind that some dining spots are located in older houses and other buildings that might not be able to accommodate your needs. To be sure, call or check the website of the establishment of your choice prior to your visit.
It’s up to you whether you’re up for a budget-busting blowout, some extremely economical eats, or something in the middle. To help you find just the right place at just the right price, we’ve included a code using dollar signs to indicate how much you’ll spend on average for a dinner entree without tax (8 percent), tip, or beverage.
Restaurants
Many restaurants offering authentic Pennsylvania Dutch food either serve smorgasbord or family style (pass the potatoes, please). The majority of the smorgasbords and family-style dining spots serve pretty much the same fare—fried and roasted chicken, ham, roast turkey, pork and sauerkraut, chicken potpie (made with wide noodles, not a pastry crust), homemade soups, salad bar, and Dutch Country sides such as chowchow (a pickled vegetable mixture served cold) and red beet pickled eggs. Dessert spreads are bountiful—don’t miss the shoofly pie, fruit cobblers and crisps, and chocolate cake with peanut butter icing. I will indicate the restaurants that also offer a la carte menus.
Prices indicate dinner for 1 adult without beverages, tax, and gratuity. Most of these restaurants also serve breakfast and/or lunch at bargain prices. Most of these dining spots are closed Sun unless otherwise indicated.
1. Alma de Cuba
City: Philadelphia, PA
Category: Restaurants
Telephone: (215) 988-1799
Address: 1623 Walnut St.
Insider Pick:
Description: This is the place where I first fell in love . . . with the mojito (classic version, please). Tingle your taste buds with ceviche tasting. Vaca Frita (fried cow) . . . no, really . . . is a wonderfully crispy skirt steak with black beans and tomato escabeche. Enjoy the delectable and cool to look at Chocolate Cigar with dulce de leche ice cream.
2. Amuse
City: Philadelphia, PA
Category: Restaurants
Telephone: (215) 422-8201
Address: 1421 Arch St.
Description: This new kid on the block (or should I say in the city?) is very sleek, very chic, and very French onion soup topped with a trio of cheeses, beef bourguignon, steak frites, and even a tongue-in-cheek “le hamburger.” The one thing it isn’t is very stuffy.
3. Buddakan
City: Philadelphia, PA
Category: Restaurants
Telephone: (215) 574-9440
Address: 325 Chestnut St.
Description: A larger-than-life golden Buddha presides over the communal table at this high-concept, yet surprisingly not exceptionally high-priced (for Center City Philadelphia anyway) restaurant with its lavish European-accented Asian cuisine. If you don’t want to mingle, you can sit at your own table. Don’t miss the truffle-scented edamame ravioli or desserts, often an afterthought in Asian restaurants, but definitely not here. The chocolate bento box is a stunner and the 5-space dippable doughnuts a fun finish.
4. Capogiro Gelato
City: Philadelphia, PA
Category: Restaurants
Telephone: (215) 351-0900
Address: 119 S. 13th St.
Description: This family-owned operation produces the real thing—made from scratch every morning in traditional flavors such as stracciatella and exclusive seasonal sensations using local produce, hormone-free dairy products, herbs, and spices in some surprising combinations (think lemon opal basil and rosemary honey goat’s milk). Other locations are at Rittenhouse Square, 117 S. 20th St. (corner of 20th and Sansom), (215) 636-9250; University City, 3925 Walnut St., (215) 222-0252; Passyunk Scoop Shop (South Philadelphia), 1625 E. Passyunk Ave., (215) 462-3790.
5. Chifa
City: Philadelphia, PA
Category: Restaurants
Telephone: (215) 925-5555
Address: 707 Chestnut St.
Description: Can Peruvian and Cantonese cuisine find happiness on the same menu? They can when the matchmaker is Food Network Iron Chef Jose Garces. Here ceviche cheerfully shares the spotlight with bao buns and empanadas with red curry.
City: Philadelphia, PA
Category: Restaurants
Address: 138 S. 2nd St. at Walnut Street
7. The Continental Restaurant & Martini Bar
City: Philadelphia, PA
Category: Restaurants
Telephone: (215) 923-6069
Address: 138 Market St.
Description: It looks like a ’50s diner both inside and out, but you certainly wouldn’t find Korean pork tacos and crab pad thai on an Eisenhower-era menu. Brunch is traditionally tasty with jam-packed omelets and cinnamon flapjacks. While the martinis are fun, the bar also makes a mean Singapore Sling, Gin Rickey, and other retro cocktails.
8. Fork
City: Philadelphia, PA
Category: Restaurants
Telephone: (215) 625-9425
Address: 306 Market St.
Description: Chef Terence Feury makes his own charcuterie. That should give you some idea of how serious he is about putting out great food. The ambience is cool, contemporary, and comfortable. Light dishes—at light prices—are also available.
9. Fountain Restaurant at Four Seasons Hotel
City: Philadelphia, PA
Category: Restaurants
Telephone: (215) 963-1500
Address: 1 Logan Sq.
Description: Check out any best restaurant list from Zagat to Bon Appétit and you’ll find the French-inspired Fountain. The food is as elegant as the surroundings, and that’s pretty impressive. There’s also a beautiful tasting menu with or without wine. Afternoon tea is also a glorious return to civility.
10. Franklin Fountain
City: Philadelphia, PA
Category: Restaurants
Telephone: (215) 627-1899
Address: 116 Market St.
Insider Pick:
Description: Did you know that there’s a Philadelphia-style vanilla ice cream? Yup. It’s generously speckled with real vanilla bean and, unlike French vanilla, has no eggs. Get some at this family-owned reproduction of a 1900 soda fountain either plain, in a super sundae, in a float, or sandwiched between two hot waffles. It—and all of the other flavors—are homemade (and so is the decadently rich hot fudge).
11. Lacroix
City: Philadelphia, PA
Category: Restaurants
Telephone: (215) 790-2533
Address: 210 W. Rittenhouse Sq.
Description: Although celebrated chef Jean-Marie Lacroix has retired from his eponymous restaurant, the commitment to excellence that earned it such accolades as “World’s Best Hotel Dining Rooms” by Gourmet magazine and the “Wine Spectator Award of Excellence” carries on. If you’re planning to pop the question, you won’t find a more romantic spot. In addition to a la carte entrees, there are 5-course ($75) and 8-course ($95) tasting menus.
12. LE BEC FIN
City: Philadelphia, PA
Category: Restaurants
Telephone: (215) 567-1000
Address: 1523 Walnut St.
Insider Pick:
Description: Arguably Philadelphia’s most famous white tablecloth restaurant when it was owned and manned by Chef Georges Perrier, this feast of French cuisine and style has maintained its award- and accolade-winning standards in food and service under new owners, Nicolas Fanucci and Chef Walter Abrams. For the full experience choose one of Chef Abram’s 3- or 4-course prix fixe lunches or a 4- or 8-course dinners. Or you can dine on a la carte fare downstairs at Chez Georges.
13. Matyson
City: Philadelphia, PA
Category: Restaurants
Telephone: (215) 564-2925
Address: 37 S. 19th St.
Description: One of Philly’s best BYOBs has an ever-changing menu of seasonal specialties with an emphasis on stellar seafood (lobster-stuffed skate wing, nori-crusted ahi tuna) and irresistible desserts (coconut cream pie with chocolate ganache). Every week, the restaurant offers a different 3-course lunch and 5-course dinner tasting menu based on a seasonal ingredient or theme.
14. Monk’s
City: Philadelphia, PA
Category: Restaurants
Telephone: (215) 545-7005
Address: 264 S. 16th St.
Description: Moules et frites (mussels and fries)? What else would you expect to find in a “Belgian Beer Emporium”? Well, there really are other selections including burgers, chicken, salmon, even rabbit, but with 8 different kinds of mussels on the menu, why stray from tradition?
15. Morimoto
City: Philadelphia, PA
Category: Restaurants
Telephone: (215) 413-9070
Address: 723 Chestnut St.
Description: If your budget allows, let Masaharu Morimoto show you why he is one of Food Network’s most revered “Iron Chefs” with an omakase or multicourse tasting of his favorite dishes (begins at $80). The lunch version is a bit smaller, but $20 lighter on the budget. You can also order sushi, sashimi, or one of the chef’s innovative Asian entrees a la carte.